Probe as man accidentally shot in Bromsgrove gun shop

A MAN was shot in the arm after an air rifle was accidentally fired in a Bromsgrove gun store.

The Redditch resident was in Shooting Supplies shortly after 4.30pm on Saturday (January 25) when the gun is reported to have gone off while a member of staff was setting the weapon up for sale.

The 29-year-old was hit in the arm and rushed to Redditch's Alexandra Hospital where he spent two days and had to undergo an operation to clear the wound as the pellet had passed through his arm.

A source said: "It could very easily have hit a young lad who was standing next to the man, so the consequential damage could have been catastrophic."

Police said initially they were told the air rifle had been loaded and discharged accidentally by a member of staff. But a customer has since come forward to suggest the weapon, which was brand new, was already loaded when it was unpacked from the box.

A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said: "The Health and Safety Executive has been notified of the incident by police, and firearms licensing officers will be contacting the shop to give advice.

"The man who was hit by the pellet was not seriously injured and agreed it was an accident, and that no offences had been committed."

No-one wanted to comment when the Standard contacted Shooting Supplies.